Containers and closures therefor



April 10, 1956 F. LOBL.

CONTAINERS AND CLOSURE-S THEREFOR Filed June 20, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent i CONTAINERS AYD CLOSURES THEREFOR Frederick Lobl, Middleboro, Mass, assignor to Faultless Rubber Co., Ashland, Ohio Application June 20, 1950, Serial No. 169,228

6 Claims. (Cl. 220-60) This invention relates to improvements in containers and closures therefor. More particularly it relates to containers having an opening in a wall thereof and to a resilient removable closure for effecting an air-tight seal around the opening in response to suction created when the closure is pressed into closing relation to the opening.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a container having a wall opening and having a resilient removable closure providing an air-tight seal around said opening both interiorly and exteriorly of the container. The closure has a plug portion adapted to be pressed into said opening and to resiliently engage annularly back of the wall through which said opening extends, and has a larger suction-cup portion resiliently gripping the exterior surface of the wall around said opening when said plug portion is engaged back of said wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure for an opening in a container wall, said closure having an exterior suction-cup portion for developing a partial vacuum between the closure and wall whereby the closure strongly grips the exterior surface of the wall around the opening, and having a projecting portion for extending through the opening and engaging resiliently back of said wall.

A further object is to provide a container and closure wherein the container has a wall opening therein and the closure has a resilient flanged portion for projecting through the opening and has an exterior suction-cup portion for developing a partial vacuum between the closure and wall whereby the flange of said projected portion is maintained in sealing engagement back of the wall and said suction-cup portion is maintained in sealing engagement with the exterior surface of the wall, there being a flange exteriorly of the wall closely confining substantially the entire peripheral edge of the suction-cup portion of the closure.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve the structure of containers and closures and more especially the cooperation between a suction-cup type of closure and the container wall having the opening which is to be closed.

in the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a container and closure embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a medial cross-sectional view through the closure of Figs. 1 and 2 showing the closure in full lines in its non-tensioned condition and showing it in dotted lines in its condition when spread and tensioned on a container;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating the grooving of the concave surface of the closure, for increasing the suction efiect between the closure and the container wall;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the grooving in the exterior surface of the container wall;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the closure formed with a handle or knob;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified 2,741,396 Patented Apr. 10, 1956 ice form of closure which itself has an opening therethrough which is adapted to be closed by removable means such as a conventional cork;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing another modified form of closure which has a nipple embodied therein; and r Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a container and closure, showing a modified form interior sealing means.

Referring to the drawing, the container 10 may be of any desired shape and of any desired material so long as a relatively rigid wall portion 12 is provided through which a mouth opening 14 extends. The wall portion 12 may be flat, providing plane surfaces around the opening, but it preferably is slightly convex outwardly of the container, as represented in the drawing.

Referring to Figs. 1-3, the closure 16 for the container opening 14 is in the nature of a suction-cup which may be formed of rubber or other suitably resilient material. At the concave side of the closure, an annular projection 18 has relatively short extent in axial direction and terminates in an annular resilient flange 20 which provides an annular shoulder 22 which faces generally toward the concave side of closure 16. Actually, an annular groove 23 (Fig. 3) is provided around the projection 18 between the shoulder 22 and the concave surface of the closure is.

The flange 20 has exterior diameter appreciably greater than the diameter of the opening 14 in wall portion 12, and the exterior diameter of the projection 18 preferably will be slightly greater than the diameter of opening 14. However, the inner end surface of flange 2% is inclined so that, as the flange and projection are being pressed into opening 14, the inclined inner surface of flange 20 becomes cammed inward to permit passage of the flange through the opening, the projection 18 being hollow to facilitate this constrictive inward camming of the flange. As soon as the flange 26 passes beyond the Wall portion 12, the flange resiliently spreads to its natural diameter and the shoulder 22 engages annularly back of wall portion 12. Simultaneously, the outer suction-cup portion of the closure spreads from its full line shape of Fig. 3 to its dotted line shape in Fig. 3, thereby tensioning the extension 18 to draw shoulder 22 tightly into sealing engagement with wall portion 12 interiorly of the container while the suction-cup portion itself tightly grips the surface of wall portion 12 around the opening 14 to provide an exterior annular seal around the opening as a result of a partial vacuum condition created between the closure and wall portion 7.2. The seated closure eflectively seals the opening both inside and outside of the container 10, and it is practically impossible to displace the closure acci dentally or by shaking of contents of the container. However, the closure readily may be lifted clear of the container following a lifting of a marginal portion of the closure enough to break the air seal.

Ordinarily, and preferabl an upstanding flange 24 will be provided exteriorly on wall portion 12 closely confining the outer edge of closure 16, excepting at a relatively short region 26 (Fig. l) where a break is provided in the continuity of the flange. The flange 24 makes it extremely diflicult to get access to the edge of closure 16 for lifting it to break its seal excepting at the region 26 where a flap or tongue 28 conveniently may be provided on the closure to facilitate removal of the closure when desired.

The suction effect between the closure and the wall portion 12 of the container may be increased, if desired or ecessary, by annularly grooving the concave surface of the closure as at 30 in Fig. 4, or by annularly grooving the outer surface of the wall portion 12 as at 32 in Fig. 5, which also shows how a Wall flange 24' may be it d an p tia me n o fa i i e; ripp n t e closure by the fingers. There is definite advantage in are smooth slightly convex exterior surfaee on the closures of the Figs. 1-5 forms. However, a handle or knob maybe formed on the closure when desired, as illustrated at 34 in Fig. 6. V

It sometimes may be desirable to close a container opening 14 by a closure which itself has a smaller opening therethrough which may be closed. by a removablerneans. Fig. 7 shows such a closure 16 which may be seated in a container opening id as described in connection with the closure it: of Figs. 2 and, 3 Closure 13 has the smaller opening 36 extending axially through it, which may be closed by a conventional cork 38, or the like.

In another embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 8, the closure 16" may have a nipple 49 formed thereon so that the closure-nipple may be employed on a nursing bottle having the wall portion 12 and confining flange 24. While the nipple has a usual permanently open small opening &2 at its tip, the closure 16" provides inner and outer air-tight seals around the container opening 14 as in the earlier described embodiments and constitutes a closure for the container for all of the purposes of a nursing bottle.

i Fig. 9 illustrates a modification of the plug projection as illustrated in the earlier views. it presently is considered preferable to provide a definite flange at the inner end or" the plug projection which enters the wall open ing of a container. However, as shown in Fig. 9, the closure i6 may have a plug projection 18' of uniform exterior diameter which is appreciably greater than the diameter of the wall Opening 14. Being of rubber, or comparable resilient material, this projection 18' may "be forced into the wall opening with inward yielding of its walls, and the natural expansion of the material as it passes inward beyond the Wall 12 creates a bulging annulus at 23 which engages back of wall 12 to provide an interior annular seal comparable to the seal described in connection with the flange 2%) of the earlier described embodiments. The hollow nature of the projection 13 makes it feasible to press the projection into the wall opem in g and to remove it without any impractical amount of difiiculty.

The various illustrated embodiments of the invention are merely representative of a wide variety of practical applications of the structural and cooperating features whereby my improved containers and closures may serve efie ctively in a wide range of household and commercial capacities, and it should be understood that various changes may be made in the devices as shown within the scope, of the accompanying claims, it being intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

I claim as my invention: t

l. A container comprising a substantially rigid wall portion having a fill opening therein, a removable and replaceable closure for said opening, comprising a suction cup made of resilient material having a concave side pressed into suction engagement with the exterior surface of the wall portion around said opening, a plug projecting axially from the said concave side ofthe cup and pressed into. said opening, resilient means at the end of the plug annularly engaged back or" said wall portion, said resilient means being adapted to yield radially under constricting pressure when said resilient means is being moved in either direction through said opening, and means on the edge of said wall portion, at said fill opening therein, providinga rounded surface for'camming said resilient means radially in response to force applied to the man ula ed; t l e and e th ta with u n losure i d rection to retrie e the closure. frentsai .fil

opening.

2. A container comprising a wall portion having a fill opening therein, a removable and replaceable closure for said opening having a plug part insertible in said opening, a relatively large diameter resilient flange and a relatively small diameter resilient flange at opposite ends of said plug part, said large diameter flange being concave at its cal side from which the plug part extends whereby it coacts with said wall portion to create apartial vacuum between "til the wall portion when said large diameter'flange is pressed against the wall portion, and said small diameter flange having diameter appreciably greater than said opening and being yieldable radially to permit its passage through said opening, said small diameter flange being adapted to resiliently engage annularly back of said Wall portion when said large diameter flange-is relieved of pressure after, being pressed against said wall portion and being adapted to yield radiallyto. free itself from engagement back of said wall portion, and means on the edge of said wall portion, at said fill opening erein, providing a rounded surface for cumming said small diameter flange radially in response to force applied to said closure in direction to remove the closure from said fill opening.

3,. A container comprising a wall portion having a fill opening, therein, a removable and replaceable closure for said openhig, comprising a suction cup made of resilient flexible material having a convex side and a concave side, a relatively short projection extending axially at the con cave side of the cup and adapted to be pressed 7 intosaid opening with simultaneous suction engagement of the concave side of said cup with the exterior surface-of said wall portion around said opening, resilient means at the inner end of said projection having diameter appreciably greater than the diameter of said opening and adapted to yield'to permit the said projection to enter said opening, said resilient means engaging back of said wall portion when the projection is pressed into said opening enough to efiect the said suction-engagement of the-cup.

with the wall portion and being adapted to yield radially to free itself from said wall portion, means on the edge of said wall portion, at said fill opening therein, providing a rounded surface for camming said resilient means radially in response to'force applied to the closure in direction to remove the closure from said fill opening, and an annular upstanding flange on said wall portion confining the outer edgeof said suction cup substantially all around the edge of the cup.

7 4. A container comprising a substantially rigid wallportion having a fill opening therein, a removable and replaceable closure for said opening, comprising a suction cup madeof resilient material having a concave side pressed into suction engagement with the exterior surface of the wall portion around said opening, a plug projecting axially from the said concave side of the cup and pressed into saidopening, resilient means at the end of the plug annularly engaged back of said wall portion, said resilient means being adapted to yield:

radially under constricting pressure when said resilient means is being moved ineither direction" through said opening, means on the edgeofsaid wall portion, atsaid fill opening therein, providing a rounded-suriacefor camrning said resilient means radially in response to force applied to said closure in direction to removethe closurefrom said fill opening and means providing an annular void between the adjacent surfaces of the suction cupinto said opening, resilient means at the end of the plug annularly engaged back of said wall portion, said resilient means being adapted to yield radially under constricting pressure when said resilient means is being moved in either direction through said opening, means on the edge of said wall portion, at said fill opening therein, providing a rounded surface for camming said resilient means radially in response to force applied to said closure in direction to remove the closure from said fill opening, means defining an opening through said suction cup and plug, and a removable element closing the latter said opening.

6. A container comprising a substantially rigid wall portion having a fill opening therein, a removable and replaceable closure for said opening, comprising a suction cup made of resilient material having a concave side pressed into suction engagement with the exterior surface of the wall portion around said opening, a plug projecting axially from the said concave side of the cup and pressed into said opening, said plug being of resilient material and having exterior diameter appreciably greater than the diameter of said wall opening whereby it is constricted by said wall to a reduced diameter where it has extent in the wall opening, and has an annular inner end portion inward beyond said wall, at which its resilient material, relieved of constricting pressure, has exterior diameter greater than the diameter of said wall opening, for engaging annularly back of said Wall, and means at the edge of said wall portion, at the said fill opening therein, providing a rounded surface for camming said engaged inner end portion of the plug radially in response to force applied to the closure in direction to remove the closure from said fill opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 488,999 Graham Jan. 3, 1893 560,227 McKenzie et al May 19, 1896 1,697,814 Forbes Dec. 12, 1925 1,915,249 Iorgensen June 20, 1933 2,061,145 Duffy Nov. 17, 1936 2,072,853 Baxter Mar. 9, 1937 2,212,804 Wynings Aug. 27, 1940 2,224,296 Hofiman Dec. 10, 1940 2,362,250 Durst Nov. 7, 1944 

